Letters to the editor: Why does ‘red line’ only apply to others?

President Obama believes the United States is responsible for enforcing “international norms.” He seems to be confusing military power with moral authority.The United States has shown very little interest in following international norms and United Nations consensus on banning weapons in space, landmines, and limits on nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

Why did we sell sarin nerve gas, anthrax and bubonic plague to Saddam Hussein if we are so outraged by their use? How many children did we burn to death in Fallujah with white phosphorous? How many died horribly from our use of napalm in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos?

We seem to see a “red line” in the behavior of other nations, but not our own. Our government has exposed our soldiers to depleted uranium dioxin (the most toxic chemical family known) and the pyrolyzed chemicals we sold to Iraq.

President Obama’s assumption that the Syrian government is responsible for sarin use is irresponsible.

Barrels of chemical agents could have been deployed by anyone under the cover of conventional Syrian artillery.

War supporters are essentially saying that al-Qaida (our future allies) could not be responsible for the gas attack.

The final irony is that a unilateral attack by the United States to enforce international norms would be a violation of international norms.

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